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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29747391">Dance With You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Billion_Sorrys_918/pseuds/A_Billion_Sorrys_918'>A_Billion_Sorrys_918</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Attention to Detail [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Altar Boyz - Adler/Walker/Del Aguila</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Catholic Guilt, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Musicals, One sided Mark/Matthew, religious trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:09:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,358</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29747391</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Billion_Sorrys_918/pseuds/A_Billion_Sorrys_918</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Me writing about a queer Catholic finding comfort in The Prom? Very likely.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mark/Matthew (Altar Boyz)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Attention to Detail [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185914</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dance With You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>TW FOR F SLUR AND CATHOLIC GUILT</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mark was in Abraham’s basement. Matthew called him in there.</p>
<p>He tried. He very much tried. But Mark can’t take his mind off of his Mom. The way she talked, saying he isn’t her son.</p>
<p>Good. Mark isn’t the son of anyone who doesn’t care about him. And he has plenty of people who care about him. Well, four people. It’s enough for him, but he wishes it was more.</p>
<p>Matthew rushed into the plain white basement. Even in rubble duckie pajamas and very unkept hair, he manages to light up whatever room he’s in. His smile made Mark light up too, no matter what his original mood was. Often, he’d want to get close to him and just hug him for five to ten hours (Him being really strong and firm doesn’t help this desire fade away).</p>
<p>“Hey, Mark. So, everything alright? Your Mom and all...”</p>
<p>“Ah, no, I’m not thinking about that right now.” Mark lied. “Is that what you came down here to talk to me about?”</p>
<p>“No.” Matthew insisted, sitting on Abraham’s velvet couch. Being even this near him might make Mark faint.</p>
<p>“See, I need help with dancing.” He said, biting his lip as if he’s embarrassed.</p>
<p>“Dancing? Matt, it’s 11:15.”</p>
<p>Matthew looked down.</p>
<p>“Hey, no need to be embarrassed! Just, what do you need it for?”</p>
<p>“Well, in my dance class we’re learning more about ballroom dancing, and I haven’t done that since fourth grade, before I even met—“</p>
<p>“Oh, I can absolutely!” Mark jumped up from the couch in excitement.</p>
<p>“I mean, I can show you the basic steps. Let me just play a good song.” Mark hopped up to the radio, and put his BlueTooth speaker onto his ballroom Spotify playlist. He’s so thankful never to have missed a ballroom dancing class. He strutted back to Matthew.</p>
<p>“So, you put your hands on my hi— sorry if that’s a bother.”</p>
<p>“Oh. No, it’s fine. I’ll need to learn anyways.”</p>
<p>Almost any other boy would have immediately detracted from him, not wanting to look gay. Especially with a boy like him.</p>
<p>Not Matthew. Matthew was always different. He’s always been comfortable with Mark, even when snickers arouse in the room, and the words “Queer” and “Homo”, even “Faggot” sometimes, come out of the mouths of the few brave people.</p>
<p>The first chords of the song Mark shuffled started to play. A song that resonated with the boy for a number of years now. Dance With You, from The Prom. </p>
<p>Sure, Mark cries during everything, but perhaps the most during Prom. He also missed his senior Prom, like Barry Glickman, due to his fear of being hurt again by the ones who hurt him before he even reached teen life. And don’t get him started on Love Thy Neighbor, the one song he’d cry to every time. Because, back where he grew up, Mark couldn’t love the way he wanted to love.</p>
<p>Perhaps fate chose this song, because Dance With You is exactly the way Mark felt about Matthew. </p>
<p>I don't want to start a riot<br/>
I don't want to blaze a trail<br/>
I don't want to be a symbol<br/>
Or cautionary tale<br/>
I don't want to be a scapegoat<br/>
For people to oppose<br/>
What I want is simple<br/>
As far as wanting goes<br/>
I just wanna dance with you<br/>
Let the whole world melt away<br/>
And dance with you<br/>
Who cares what other people say?<br/>
And when we're through<br/>
No one can convince us we were wrong<br/>
All it takes is you and me<br/>
And a song</p>
<p>Mark’s arms were on Matthew’s shoulders. And Matthew stepped on Mark’s toes a couple of times (Graciously apologizing after every one of them. Such a sweet boy, it’s no wonder Mark is into him.) but they were pure.</p>
<p>Mark has never been more sure that he was in love with this boy as he is now. He wants to dance with him forever. Matthew was still stepping on his toes, but it felt like nothing, as Mark was focused on Matthew’s sparkling eyes looking directly at him.</p>
<p>I don't need a big production<br/>
Streamers hanging in the air<br/>
I don't need to spend the night<br/>
With confetti in my hair<br/>
I don't need a room of people<br/>
That I don't really know<br/>
I just want to hold you<br/>
And never let you go!<br/>
I just wanna dance with you<br/>
Let the whole world melt away<br/>
And dance with you<br/>
Who cares what other people say?<br/>
And when we're through<br/>
No one can convince us we were wrong<br/>
All it takes is you and me<br/>
And a song</p>
<p>If only Mark had this song as a kid. When he was twelve, and those fifteen-year-old boys were harassing him, and Mark was unsure why.</p>
<p>“God, why do you dress like a girl?”</p>
<p>“Your voice is so high for a boy.”</p>
<p>“Your hair looks better short.”</p>
<p>“You’re going to Hell.”</p>
<p>“You and Matthew can be fags together!”</p>
<p>They’d rip of his hair; the one thing Mark always knew he had control over. Matthew would often try to cheer with them by calling them thugs, and later Episcopalian thugs. It made Mark feel better, as if maybe he does have control over them, or at least what the Altar Boyz refer to them all as. </p>
<p>Mark would never forget the time where he first realized his feelings for Matthew were ones unlike his other friends.</p>
<p>They were right. I’m not normal. I’m going to Hell.</p>
<p>Leviticus 18:22. Leviticus 18:22. Leviticus 18:22. </p>
<p>“Hey, thanks for the lessons. It’s really fun dancing with you.” Matthew snaps him back to reality, like he normally can. That’s when Mark noticed he was no longer stepping on his shoes.</p>
<p>“You’re welcome. It’s been three minutes and I can already sense improvement.”</p>
<p>“Not really improvement. Just getting used to you.” Matthew responds. “But, it will be enough for my lesson.”</p>
<p>“Let’s just finish the song.” Mark whispered. Matthew agrees.</p>
<p>Two people swaying slowly<br/>
Nothing more and nothing less<br/>
Why anybody fears that<br/>
Is anybody's guess<br/>
I just wanna dance with you<br/>
Let the whole world melt away<br/>
And dance with you<br/>
Who cares what other people say?<br/>
And when we're through<br/>
No one can convince us we were wrong<br/>
All it takes is you and me<br/>
And a song</p>
<p>After the song ends, Matthew takes his hands off of Mark and sits back on the couch, drinking from his water bottle.</p>
<p>“You choreograph this stuff all the time?” Matthew asked, wide eyed.</p>
<p>“Well, hip hop dancing. Not this kind.”</p>
<p>“You must be good. This is hard.” Matthew says, sipping water after his statement.</p>
<p>“Oh. Wow, thank you.” Mark blushed. He swallowed before asking what he has wanted to all of his life. “Matthew, are okay with this?”</p>
<p>Matthew put his bottle on the counter. “Okay with this? I asked you for a reason! Here, have a bottle.”</p>
<p>Matthew threw the water at Mark, who drank half of it within the first sip.</p>
<p>“Thanks. I was asking because...well, you know I’m gay because of earlier and all that...and—“</p>
<p>“Mark, I’m going to stop you right there.” He turned the lights brighter. “I dance with my other friends all of the time. I do it with straight girls too. What makes you think you’re any different?”</p>
<p>Mark began to smile and hug himself. “Well, I don’t know. I just thought—“</p>
<p>“Listen, Mark. Our friendship isn’t going to change, okay? You can say you do have a crush on me, you can even say you have an intense hatred for me, and I’d still be friends with you and act the same way I would anyone else.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Mark’s voice was small.</p>
<p>“You’re my friend, Mark.”</p>
<p>Next thing Mark knew, he was running into his arms yet again. This time, however, it was a shorter hug, as Mark was the first to let go.</p>
<p>“Have a good night.” Matthew said, shutting off the lights.</p>
<p>Mark tried to sleep but his mind wandered back to everything. </p>
<p>Mark didn’t have control over everything that happens, but he has some. Isn’t that enough?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As a matter of fact, all of my Altar Boyz fanfictions do have to end with Mark hugging someone, and what about it?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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